The 20th century was a century of war and hardship for the Kurdish people and other peoples of Kurdistan. First the Sykes-Picot Agreement (16 May 1916), and then the Treaty of Sévres (10 August 1920), and, finally the Treaty of Lausanne (24 July 1923), struck harshly at Kurdish national unity, aiming to destroy it. Kurdistan was no longer split between two parts – it was now divided into four. The establishment of a barbaric, exploitative and manipulative colonial system on the soil of Kurdistan became an imposed reality.

In the past, the Kurds and people of Kurdistan were not active regional players; they were not organized and had little power. However, today the people of Kurdistan are organized, have political tools and power, and therefore play an active role in Middle East. They represent the struggle for freedom, social and gender equality, democracy, pluralism and progress. The Kurdish people are now powerful, benefiting from self-confidence and enjoying the great will of resistance. They struggle everywhere throughout the region and on an international level to make their voice heard and represent the interests of Kurdistan. Due to the current situation resulting from the dictatorship, totalitarianism and authoritarianism of the ultra-nationalistic governance of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria and due to the Kurdish political gains and the will of Kurdistan’s people in Rojhilat (Iran) and Bakûr (Turkey) to struggle for peace and democracy, despite the great hardship, the level of the liberation struggle has risen to a peak. This great, versatile struggle has disintegrated the Sykes-Picot Agreement and will leave it irrelevant, functionless and obsolete.

Today, the geographic boundaries between Iraq and Syria have already disappeared – the geographical lines between Bashûr (Iraqi Kurdistan) and Rojava (Kurdistan of Syria) no longer exist. The de facto status of two Kurdish federal entities is now a reality on both sides of this division. We are not obliged and not in debt, and for sure not bound, to protect the boundaries of artificial territories for others. We do not have to accept them. We, as the people of Kurdistan, must in practice abolish these colonial borders between Bashûr and Rojava. In this way, we unite two parts of Kurdistan. On the 100th anniversary of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Kurdistan National Congress, first and foremost, calls on the administrations of Bashûr and Rojava Kurdistan and on every organization and political party in Kurdistan, to keep efforts towards abolishing the Sykes-Picot Agreement at the top of their agendas.

On the 100th anniversary of the Sykes-Picot Agreement,the Kurdistan National Congress will hold a press conference on 16 May 2016 at 2pm on the Semalka Bridge at the Peshkhabourborder crossing between Iraq and Syria/Bashûr and Rojava Kurdistan. All political parties, NGO’s and the people of Kurdistan from Bashûr and Rojava are invited to attend this public press conference.

EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR AFRIN

Life in Afrin

Weekly News Briefing

Jeremy Corbyn issues statement of support for the National Demo

Message from Jeremy Corbyn to Kurdish national demonstration in London:
“I’m sorry not to be able to be with you today, but I send a message of solidarity with today’s demonstration, and with the Kurdish people, under sustained attack across the Middle East.
The conflict in Syria has been the trigger for an onslaught against the Kurdish people, who are defending their autonomy and their rights.
We are watching closely the alarming events that have been unfolding in Turkey in recent weeks, including the killing of civilians and destruction of Kurdish homes.
Any negotiated settlement of the Syrian conflict must include peace and justice for the Kurds, including in Turkey. And the Turkish government needs as a matter of urgency to restart the peace process with the Kurds and respect the rights of all its people.
We call for an end to repression of the Kurds and justice for the Kurdish people throughout the Middle East.”

Destruction and Repression in North Kurdistan

Freedom for Ocalan!

On the 19th anniversary of his kidnap and imprisonment by Turkey, we renew our call for Abdullah Ocalan to be freed as part of a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question.